noun HSK 2
Traditional 藥
medicine · drug · medication
Meaning
药 refers to any substance used to treat illness or medical conditions, including both traditional Chinese medicine and Western pharmaceuticals. It encompasses pills, liquid medicine, herbal remedies, and topical treatments.
Usage
This is an everyday word used by all native speakers when discussing medical treatment. It commonly appears in compounds like 吃药 (chī yào, to take medicine) and 中药 (zhōng yào, Chinese medicine). When asking someone if they've taken their medicine, Chinese speakers typically say 吃药了吗？(Chī yào le ma?)
Examples
- 01你按时吃药了吗？?Did you take your medicine on time?
- 02医生给我开了一些消炎药。.The doctor prescribed me some anti-inflammatory medication.
Measure words
- 粒一粒药
- 片两片药
- 瓶一瓶药水
- 副一副中药
Common collocations
- 吃药to take medicine
- 买药to buy medicine
- 开药to prescribe medicine
- 药效drug efficacy, effectiveness of medicine
Origin
The traditional form 藥 consists of the grass radical 艹 on top (indicating herbs) and 樂 (lè, happiness) below, suggesting the ancient connection between herbal remedies and restoring wellbeing.